Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive FAQ

The Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive is going on now! Check out these popular questions and answers for more information on this drive and how you can give back to those in need in your community. 

  1. When is the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive happening?
    – The Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive has already started and will be going through Sunday, March 8th. 
  2. Who does the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive help?
    – Last year, we were able to help 200 households from efforts raised through this drive. 
  3. What is the goal of the Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive?
    – The goal of the drive is to provide one year’s worth of hygiene products for the shelves of 89 homeless and crisis programs in 15 Wisconsin communities. 
  4. Where do the donations go?
    – All donations stay right in the community where they were donated to help those in need. The products coming to Newcap will go to our housing programs, navigator programs, and food pantry as well as Rainbow House in Oconto and Marinette counties. 
  5. Why can’t these programs provide the hygiene products themselves? Why is the drive necessary?
    – By doing this drive and being supplied these products through donations, programs can better focus their limited financial resources toward providing quality housing, food, education, and counseling to those in need. 
  6. Aren’t people able to get hygiene products through Food Share?
    – Food Share (formerly known as Food Stamps) can ONLY be used for food. It excludes other important items like hygiene products including soap, toilet paper, diapers, etc. 
  7. What hygiene products are most needed for donation for the drive?
    – The most needed items are cleaning supplies, feminine products (tampons, pads, etc.), toilet paper, diapers/baby care items, shampoo (hair care items), deodorant, dental care, body lotion, laundry detergent, kitchen trash bags, paper towels, and face/bath soap. 
  8. Can we only donate these items and hygiene items during the drive?
    – No. Any of our food pantries or locations would gladly take these products year around. But, this drive is easily assessable during this time since of all the locations you can donate at. 
  9. What counties are participating or are being impacted by this drive?
    – In the counties we serve – Oconto, Marinette, and Brown counties. But also, Outagamie, Manitowoc, Winnebago, Calumet, Wood, Sheboygan, Portage, Waupaca, and Marathon counties. 
  10. What communities are including in this counties?
    – The communities included are Appleton/Fox Cities, Fond du Lac, Chilton, Green Bay/De Pere, Manitowoc/Two Rivers, Marshfield, Oconto, Oconto Falls, Marinette, Seymour, Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Plymouth, Stevens Point, Waupaca, Wisconsin Rapids, and Wausau. 
  11. What about dog/cat food and items for pets?
    – Absolutely we would accept those items! Pets are family too and those in need definitely need those items as well. 
  12. Where can we make our donations?
    For locations in Oconto, Marinette, and Brown counties you can find a complete list here on our website: buff.ly/2wCrgPc 
    For counties outside of our area, here is a complete list of places you can donate: buff.ly/2T8lcp2
    Also feel free to bring to donations to any of our offices and locations across our service area. Here is a complete list of our offices and locations: buff.ly/2GxkuvJ
  13. Can we donate items that are like new but already opened or leftover?
    – Unfortunately no. We are asking for items that are new and unopened. 
  14. Would first aid items be accepted or appropriate for this drive?
    – Absolutely! Items could be children’s pain medications, pedialyte, bandaids, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, anti-diarrhea medicine, antacids, antibiotic ointment, cold medicine, liquid Benadryl, sunscreen, and treatment for head lice. 
  15. What kind of cleaning products are needed?
    – Cleaning products can be laundry detergent or fabric softener, hand soap, dish soap, trash bags (all sizes, especially kitchen), floor cleaner, bleach, dishwasher tablets, sponges, disinfectant cleaners, toilet bowl cleaner, or dryer sheets. 
  16. What kind of baby care items are needed?
    – Baby care items can be diapers (any size, including pull ups), wipes, baby bottles, pacifiers, sippy* cups, baby lotion, shampoo, rash ointments, infants Tylenol or Motrin, and blankets. 
  17. What kind of dental care items are needed?
    – Dental care items can include toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash (only if alcohol free please), dental floss, and denture care. 
  18. What kind of personal care items are needed?
    – Personal care items can include body wash, bar soap, deodorant (unscented preferred), razors, shaving cream, nail clippers, cotton balls, Q-tips, moisturizers/lotions, contact solution, lip balm, and feminine products (tampons, pads – lots of teens need these). 
  19. What kind of hair products are needed?
    – Hair care products can include shampoo and conditioner (for all ethnicities), hair brushes, combs, clips and elastics, styling products (for all ethnicities), and little girl items. 
  20. What kind of paper products or eating supplies are needed?
    – Paper products could include paper towels, napkins, toilet paper, tissues, or paper plates. Other great products to donate would be can openers, plastic utensils or regular utensils, wooden spoons, spatulas, or utensils you’d use for cooking.